[--Kaiser Volkov--]Why is this evil man here?I rub my head again, trying to chase away the dull ache despite the aspirin I already took. The tension sits there, refusing to ease. “Kaiser, why is the woman you’re fated to, and desperately in love with, living with you?”Damn. I shouldn’t have told him that part. Five years of therapy, and he’s managed to work his way through my defenses, pulling things out bit by bit. He’s a good therapist, I’ll give him that, but I never planned on opening up about this. Hell, I don’t want to share these issues with anyone.“She needs a place to stay. My family ruined her life. She has twins... what did you expect me to do?”He hums, as if satisfied with my explanation, but I can see the wheels turning in his head. I hate that. “Was she married?”I finally look up from my hands, giving him a stare sharp enough to cut through the silence. “I guess. Forced.”“But legally binding, right? So, if your family were to find her, would they even let her get d
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Doctor Jacob heads down the stairs, his feet dragging like lead, and I catch a glimpse of him from the kitchen. He looks beyond exhausted, worn out by the weight of whatever news he’s carrying. The lines on his face are deeper than usual, his shoulders slumped like the world is pressing down on him. I stop stirring the pot on the stove and step toward him before he can make it to the door. Something is wrong, and my gut is twisting into knots.“How’s Kaiser?” I ask, my voice barely hiding the worry.Jacob lets out a deep sigh, the kind that says more than words ever could. His hand lifts to rub the back of his neck, as if trying to work out a kink that’s been there far too long. “Just my advice,” he starts, his tone careful, deliberate, “but what exactly has Kai told you about his past?”I swallow hard. “Nothing, really. I mean, I know enough. He was suffering when we were younger, facing abuse while we were friends. I could see it. His family... well, the way they
[--Esmarie Cruz--]After Kaiser took his meds, I noticed a change immediately. He seemed to slip into a docile, almost hollow version of himself as if the medication had dulled every sharp edge of his being. I couldn't help but assume the second medication—whatever it was—had something to do with depression. God knows, Kaiser needed it. Hell, we all probably did at this point.I helped him to his feet, guiding him down the hall to his bedroom. His movements were sluggish, almost mechanical like he was following my lead without being fully present. When I tucked him into bed, he didn’t drift off immediately. His eyes, empty and distant, shifted between me and the ceiling above. It was unnerving, to see him so vacant. Kaiser was always intense, even when he wasn’t talking, there was always this storm brewing behind his gaze. But now? Now he was just…gone.Fuck, meds scare me. Everything scares me.Eventually, his breathing evened out, and he fell asleep. I stood there for a moment longe
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Martha lingered in the kitchen with me, her hands moving with the easy grace of someone who had done this a thousand times, and yet there was something undeniably warm about her presence. She chopped, stirred, and mixed with calm precision, her eyes occasionally darting up to meet mine, offering a small, encouraging smile. The kitchen filled with the comforting aromas of spices, garlic, and simmering herbs, each scent like a balm, bringing a sense of grounding that I so desperately needed. I tried to focus on the task, on slicing vegetables and stirring the broth just right, letting the familiar rhythm of cooking distract me, if only for a moment.As we worked, the conversation was light, almost aimless. Martha told me a story about her sister’s garden, about the lavender and rosemary she had planted, and how they flourished under her care. I smiled, trying to picture it—the delicate rows of purple blossoms, the strong scent of herbs wafting in the air. For a short
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I’m drowning in darkness, held in its vice-like grip, a weight pressing in from all sides. The air is thick and heavy, each breath a struggle that brings only more despair instead of relief. It’s as though I’m caught in some endless, inky void, with shadows clawing at me, pulling me deeper, binding me tighter. I can hear voices, distant and distorted, like whispers floating through the fog, just beyond reach. I try to make out their words, but they slip away like sand through my fingers, leaving only fragments—broken, mocking echoes that tear through my mind.My head pulses with a dull ache, a rhythm that matches the frantic beating of my heart, which pounds hard enough that I can feel it reverberating through every cell, every nerve. It’s a familiar pain, an old hurt I thought I’d buried, one I thought I’d left far behind. But here it is again, rising up from the depths like some vengeful ghost, and I can’t escape it. I was doing better. I’d convinced myself I was
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Esmarie is in my bed.My mind stumbles over that fact as I feel her body pressed against mine, soft and warm, her breath steady and peaceful. Her head is tucked into my chest, her hair brushing my neck. I’m not used to this—not used to waking up with someone like this. Someone in my bedroom. I keep it as a safe space for myself, and myself alone. It’s too close, too intimate, and my heart pounds faster in my chest, betraying me. I don’t even remember falling asleep, much less how we ended up here like this. My arms are wrapped around her, holding her tightly as if my subconscious has been craving this closeness. But why? Why are we here, together, like this?I try to shake her gently, just enough to startle her awake. I need her to wake up because if she wakes up, then maybe this strange sense of comfort I’m feeling will break. Maybe reality will snap back into place. But she only mumbles something incoherent and shifts, snuggling deeper into my chest, her fingers
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I’m startled awake by the sound of groaning, small wails breaking through the quiet of the night. At first, my instinct is to think it’s one of the twins—maybe one of them stirred from a bad dream, or they’re hungry—but it’s not them. My maternal instincts kick in, and I’m halfway out of bed before I realize it’s not coming from the nursery downstairs.It’s Kaiser.His muffled, strained sounds send a jolt of panic through me. He’s somewhere in the room, his voice low and ragged, like he’s fighting off some invisible demon. I fumble in the dark, trying to make sense of what’s happening. Then I hear something else—a small thud. Something shattered.My heart races, adrenaline kicking in. Without thinking, I rush to the ground, finding him crouched beside the bed, knees drawn to his chest. His phone is shattered into pieces on the floor. What the hell happened?“Kaiser!” I reach for him instinctively, wanting to comfort him, to pull him into my arms and figure out what’
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I reached around Kaiser for his phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I grasped it from the shattered pieces on the floor. It was my final attempt to get him to snap back to normal. The screen—thank god—was still working, though cracks spider-webbed across it, distorting the image. My heart raced as I unlocked it, praying that what I was about to do would give him the reassurance he needed. Kaiser was spiraling, trapped in his mind, and I had to pull him out of that dark place.Carefully, I navigated through his contacts until I found the name: Will. Kaiser's beta. The man he swore was real, even as the doubts clawed at him. I called the number, holding Kaiser close, his body shaking against mine as he mumbled incoherently, lost in his fear and self-doubt.The phone rang. Once, twice. My breath caught in my throat as I waited, praying that this would help, that hearing Will’s voice would pull him back from the edge.On the third ring, a voice answered—steady, calm
[--Esmarie Cruz--]The date began with Kaiser serving us champagne, his movements elegant and deliberate as he poured the golden liquid into our glasses. There was something mesmerizing about watching him, the way he carried himself with an effortless grace that made my heart flutter. As he handed me my glass, his smile was soft but radiant, like he was savoring this moment as much as I was.“To us,” he said, raising his glass.“To us,” I echoed, clinking mine against his. The soft chime seemed to ring at the beginning of something magical, and I couldn’t help but grin as I took a sip.Kaiser leaned back in his chair, taking a long drink from his glass, and I could see the contentment in his eyes. He looked so happy to finally relax, to just enjoy the evening without the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him. It was a rare sight, and I found myself admiring him more than ever.I gazed out over the town, my eyes drawn to the fireworks exploding in bursts of color above th
[--Esmarie Cruz--]After the vigil, Kaiser took center stage, standing tall against the backdrop of the setting sun. His voice was steady but carried a depth of emotion that silenced the crowd. Everyone turned their attention to him as he began his speech, thanking the pack for their unity, their strength, and the resilience they showed in the face of loss. His words were carefully chosen, each one weighted with meaning as he paid homage to the lives they were mourning and celebrated the bond that kept them all moving forward.I didn’t hear a single word. I can’t tell you my reasons.There was something almost magnetic about him at that moment. His presence commanded respect, and his sincerity resonated deeply with everyone present. I stood in the booth, peeking around to see him while holding Eloise close as Elijah dozed in his carrier, and I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride. This man—strong, compassionate, and unwavering—was... not mine, yet. But he could be if this relations
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Kaiser didn’t return to the festival until four in the afternoon. For hours, I tried to push down the creeping worry that maybe he’d canceled our date without telling me. My phone buzzed earlier with a text saying he would be returning late, but even in those few words, I could sense something was off. He wasn’t the type to be vague or curt, especially with me. Still, I buried my concerns for the moment, focusing on the festival and, more importantly, on keeping Martha entertained. She was having the time of her life.The festival, however, wasn’t just filled with laughter and excitement today; a vigil had been scheduled, and I hadn’t known about it. It cast a bittersweet atmosphere over the event. Groups gathered, lighting candles and singing soft, mournful songs in memory of the wolves who had passed. Their harmonized voices drifted through the air like a gentle breeze, intertwining with the scent of flowers placed lovingly at memorials. It was beautiful in its ow
[--Kaiser Volkov--]“You know, I chose a bar to make you feel comfortable, right?” Elias’s voice carries over the gentle crash of waves and the chatter of people further down the beach. There about six of them far away from us, which gives us a sort of privacy to talk. He’s close enough now that the words are meant only for me.“I don’t drink that much anymore,” I say, watching the horizon instead of him.Elias scoffs, sharp and disbelieving. “Right. You’re going sober now?”A soft chuckle escapes me as I turn my attention to him. “I didn’t say that. I like drinking—I’m not giving it up. I just don’t drink every single day. I need to be sober for my festival.”That catches his attention. His eyes gleam with curiosity as he tilts his head, a practiced look of interest that makes my stomach tighten. “Right. That’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”I frown. “You wanted to talk to me about the Blue Moon Festival?”“Yes.” Elias hesitates, his lips pressing together like he
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I parked my car in the closest spot I could find, my mind focused on the promise of the beach. After a brief search, I’d located one just thirty minutes away from Mem. Stepping out of the car, I kicked off my shoes and let the soft, warm sand greet my bare feet. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore filled the air, their rhythmic roar blending with the gentle breeze, creating a calming symphony of nature.I thought about the face of the man I’d seen. Then I blew out a breath, the only thing I had left to tell Valeria is the abuse that happened at home. I think somewhere in my head there’s a quiet voice that reminds me that escaping hadn’t been easy since I was scared. I was trained to kill, trained to use my brain to pick out the best outcome of whatever orders I was given. But mentally I was weakened.Barry is.... a monster. There are criminals, and then there are monsters. My brother is a living example of that. But seeing that face reminds me of the
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I wanted to stop by the festival for something to eat, but after dealing with the corpses and checking on the compound I was building to make some adjustments, I ended up contacting Elias instead. He had asked if we could meet at a bar situated between our packs. It wasn’t close for either of us—our territories are quite far apart—but over the years, we’ve identified a few neutral places to meet when necessary. One of those locations is a small town, though not the same one we’d previously used for drinks. This one was new, unfamiliar.Elias mentioned he’d be coming alone, which struck me as odd. Did he think I’d assume otherwise? Of course, he’d come alone—this wasn’t a summit or a pack meeting. It was just the two of us. He wanted to talk to me, not Scott or Berney, which only deepened my curiosity about the nature of this conversation.On the drive there, my thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected call.“Alpha Kaiser Volkov speaking. State your name and purpo
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I left her at the booth with Martha, as per usual, trusting the familiarity of their arrangement. Esmarie always enjoyed spending time with Martha at the festival, and the kids loved the bright colors and cheerful energy of the place. With the twins settled in and the day off to a smooth start, I excused myself, kissed Esmarie on the cheek- making her face turn red as she hadn’t been expecting me to do that, and made my way to the car. The hum of the festival grew softer as I drove away, heading toward the western gates.The wall came into view before long, towering and formidable against the landscape. Stretching as far as the eye could see, the wall surrounded the entire pack like a protective cocoon, standing as a testament to our resilience and determination to preserve peace. It hadn’t been an easy project. Three years of planning, construction, setbacks, and countless hours of labor had gone into it. But now, looking at its solid structure and the sense of se
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Esmarie woke up a few minutes after I had been silently watching her. The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over her face. Her eyes fluttered open, their deep hazel hue catching the sunlight in a way that made my breath hitch. I couldn’t help but smile as she stirred, her hair slightly tousled from sleep. She noticed me watching and blushed faintly, the kind of blush that warmed her cheeks and made my heart feel light.“Good morning,” I said softly.She returned my smile shyly, brushing strands of hair away from her face. Without a word, she slipped off of me, her movements careful and deliberate as if she didn’t want to disturb the serenity of the morning. Esmarie headed towards the nursery room next to her bedroom to check on her twins, her motherly instinct kicking in before anything else. I lingered for a moment, savoring the tranquility of the moment, then rose to begin my day.One day I would love for her to be sharing my
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I'm not entirely sure when Esmarie and I rounded off our conversation and made our way back into the house, but we did. It felt like one of those surreal moments where the world fades into the background, and for once, everything just clicks. I couldn’t stop replaying her words in my head, letting them wash over me like a balm to wounds I didn’t even realize were still open. The thought of being allowed to have a relationship with her—being given that chance—made something in my chest tighten in a way I wasn’t used to.It was all part of my grand scheme to seduce her, and it worked out well.Tch. Part of me wanted to punch the air, another part wanted to groan because I could practically hear my wolf laughing at me. There wasn’t some master plan to seduce her. I hadn’t been sitting around with a blueprint labeled Operation Win Esmarie’s Heart—but here I was, somehow making progress despite myself. Despite the universe actively choosing to expose all of my darkest